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Road Tested: The Mini Micro Scooter

published: December 4th, 2010 | category: Mum Guest Blogs, items of interest, road tests
 
 
As a new mother of two, I have recently been searching for answers to the hard questions: How do you manage anything with two children? Is it possible to get any further than the couch? Is it really possible to leave the house? With Baby #1, we walked somewhere (anywhere!) every day just to get out of the house, stay fit and be sane. With the arrival of Baby #2, and the refusal of the toddler to sit in the pram, would I ever make it out of the house again?  And then we were lucky enough to be selected to test drive the answer: The Mini-Micro Scooter.
 
As a big brother of 7 week old “baby sister”, 3 year old Samuel was so excited when I told him he was one of the lucky recipients of the Mini-Micro Scooter. “A Scooter, Mummy? That’s A-Mazing” he cried. Having endured 6 weeks of “In a minute, Samuel” or “Later, Samuel” while I feed his sister, I was also excited to be testing the scooter, as a chance for us to burn off some energy, give Samuel some Mummy time and get out of the house.  
 
 
Upon arrival and unwrapping, I was instantly impressed. After recent scarring from an Ikea-like challenge to put together a swing set, the scooter was really simple to assemble – only two pieces and not an allen-key in sight. A simple click and twist to join handlebars and wheels, and Samuel was away.  Perfectly sized for younger kids, Samuel is at the younger end of the spectrum of the recommended age for the scooter, and yet he took to it instantly.  After two minutes of testing, Sam had the motion of scooting along down pat, instinctively knowing exactly how to get it moving and what to do. The challenge now is to put two feet on the scooter at the same time - excellent for developing balance in children.
Having contended with the Melbourne weather (read: endless rain) and a need to entertain a toddler while feeding a baby, the scooter has endured endless trips up and down our hallway and around the kitchen counter with no marking or scuffing of our timber floors, thanks to the soft coated wheels, so apart from a few grubby handprints on the walls, this product has easily adapted to indoors as well as out with minimal fuss.
 
The Mini-Micro Scooter is stylish, light and compact, so it’s practical when out for walks and little feet get bored or tired - it easily fits under the buggy so you can manage a toddler as well as push the pram safely. As well as providing a solution to getting out and walking without carrying a toddler halfway around the block, the scooter has also given Samuel an activity that I could participate in with “baby sister” in arms, as opposed to needing an extra set of hands to push a swing/make a sandcastle/throw a ball. 
 
 
Samuel loves his Mini-Micro Scooter, and for the first week, there were constant reminders of the requirement to keep the Scooter off the couch/bed/kitchen table, and I had to wrestle it from him at bedtime each night. What I really love about this product is how much fun the kids had with it. As a recent feature at Samuel’s 3rd birthday party, it was a much sought after (fought over) item from ages 3 – 6. Its functional, attractive, easy to use and educational, as well as being an active alternative to entertain the kids, burning off energy and building fitness while being a whole lot of fun. For us, the Mini-Micro Scooter equals a well entertained, worn out and ready-to-sleep toddler at the end of the day, and a much happier, out-and-about Mum.
 
Check out the Mini Micro Scooter and other great products from Micro here

Object of my Insecurity

published: November 12th, 2010 | category: Emma, Mum Guest Blogs, items of interest
 
 
When I was little I used to carry around blue sausage shaped pillow intended as a cot bumper. It was given some improbable Chinese nickname that I could never really pronounce. It was my greatest love, but I was constantly given new soft toys by family friends and relatives, so sometimes I toted furry white seals or Disney characters, which I promptly lost in the park or accidentally threw out the car window. Said pillow unfortunately no longer exists, dissolving into threads and old stuffing years ago, but I still keep one of the slip covers that my mother made for it as she attempted to cover my drool stains.
 
Wolfgang at 16 months has shown no real attachment to anything, be it soft toy, blanket or pacifier. When Wolf started day care he carried his sippy cup around and refused to let it go until I arrived to pick him up. We thought that was the beginning and were hopeful that a security object would mean we'd know just what to give him if he was sad or upset. We'd already regretted weaning Wolf off his pacifier because we had no way of stopping him from crying or throwing him a tantrum once he got going. However after three months of day care Wolf's sippy cup lives on the shelf with all the other kid's and he doesn't look twice. Really the only thing Wolf has shown long term attachment to is his dad, who is unfortunately far too large to take to bed, drag around at day care and especially too large to sit in the back seat with him in our tiny 1961 Morris Minor.
 
 
Unlike friends with favourite Peter Rabbits and precious toy cars, Wolf has no real love for any of his toys. Currently he occasionally totes a plush red apple toy, but he's fond of throwing it out of his stroller and doesn't mind at all if we forget to give it to him at bed time. Even Wolf's favourite foods have ranged from mashed avocado, still bloody grilled lamb chops, and stir fried Hokkien noodles, but none of these are guaranteed to satisfy him any longer. He's just not a commitment sort of guy, I guess.
 
At day care,Wolf has kissed every girl in his room, one who oddly threw herself at his feet. He also kissed one boy, who he cornered, and who didn't appreciate it much. Being a paranoid sort of mother, I can't help but wonder if this is a sign of things to come. Will he be the sort of boy to bring a different girl and/or boy every time he comes home for a visit? Will I have grandchildren from four different women and have witnessed three ugly divorces? Ah, the imagination of a paranoid mother knows no end.
 
Perhaps Wolf just understands that variety is the spice of life. Alas I'm determined to cook every dish I know and buy every soft toy that even briefly takes Wolf's fancy, to see if anything sticks. Anything to prevent broken hearts littering our doorstep in the future.

I know this much is true (as I hit 39 weeks)

published: November 8th, 2010 | category: Deborah, Mum Guest Blogs, items of interest

As I hit the 39 week mark of my pregnancy, I know this much is true….

  • All babies eventually come out of one’s womb… somewhere, somehow.
  • Nothing can prepare you for labour the first time around. I believe you can better prepare yourself the second time and make better choices, but some things we still can’t predict or control.
  • You can hire people to do a lot of things for you, but getting up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet is not one of them.
  • A baby’s head must think a bladder is a very comfortable pillow and will undoubtedly rest on it all night long.
  • Keeping a baby’s gender secret from everyone in the world for 20 weeks is no mean feat.
  • Pregnancy brain is a condition that becomes progressively worse. (I must stop forgetting to put my seatbelt on and must stop calling complete strangers ‘darling’).
  • Having a huge belly has its advantages: People will give you right of way in supermarket aisles, and let you skip to the front of the line at the TAB when placing one’s bet on the Melbourne Cup.
  • Never make the mistake of referring to your singular belly baby as “they” on Facebook, as rumours of twins spreads like wildfire.
  • A crock pot is vital to managing food production when it comes to the big belly blues.
  • A woman’s nesting instinct is strong enough to motivate the most ridiculous of household jobs to get done yet the enthusiasm is sometimes not proportionate to one’s capacity to follow through. (A baby absolutely cannot be born into a home where the cutlery draw is untidy!).
  • It’s hard to weigh up which is more convenient… a baby inside one’s belly is uncomfortable to lug around but they’re quiet… a baby outside one’s belly needs feeding, changing, constant watching but one can move around freely…
  • As much as I try to savour every previous moment with my 2 year old girl, I still cannot grasp that I’ll have to share that attention I give her with another little being very very soon.

We wish Deborah all the best for her upcoming new arrival!  Deb, we have loved your heartfelt blogs and reading all about little Ashlin. You're an inspiring Mum and we're so grateful that we've had you us part of our road testing/blog team. Best wishes, carey & team at bebe x

Building a true connection with your child

published: October 17th, 2010 | category: Deborah, Mum Guest Blogs, parenting articles
I hate the term ‘parenting style’. Perhaps because it makes it sound like it’s as light and breezy as picking out a dress or choosing a hair-do. As if it’s a reflection on us and how we express ourselves, rather than focusing on the best outcome for our children. And ultimately, it just seems to trivialise this serious thing that I do. We all parent in very different ways. Usually the biggest influence on our ‘style’ is how we ourselves were parented. Even if you are determined to improve on previous generations, there are still some patterns that are hard to fight. Essentially we all find a style whether we realise it or not, it’s basically our method, our approach, call it what you will. It’s the way we relate to our children.
I take it very seriously, because it is. How we relate to our babies and children shapes their emotional health for the rest of their lives. What an enormous responsibility!  
 
Over the past 2 years of being a mother, my parenting ‘style’ has evolved. I’ve challenged myself many times to sum up how I parent in one word. Many words and labels come to mind… attachment, peaceful, natural, and gentle. Some of these words are good. But as descriptive as they are, they don’t totally encapsulate it or go far enough. Finally, I think I have found that word. That word is: connection.
 
 
My journey started because I also disliked another word: naughty. How many times was I asked if my baby (yes baby) was naughty or misbehaving. I knew in my heart that my baby was developmentally incapable of being naughty, but as my daughter entered toddlerhood I started thinking  more about this naughty thing. The word seemed to imply an adversarial relationship with her. It seemed to set up a battle of wills, like she was something to be tamed, controlled and dealt with every day. 
 
So I started to look at my daughter’s behaviour in context of how she was feeling. I tried to understand the emotions that were driving her behaviour in the first place. I realised that I didn’t see myself as “the boss”. I realised there was another option to just managing behaviour. I wanted to get to know her. I was genuinely interested in her feelings. And I believed my role was to nurture her emotional wellbeing.
 
The traditional authoritarian style of parenting, where discipline and punishment are the norm, didn’t seem to value my child’s emotions and could never motivate her to want to be caring and considerate out a genuine respect for my feelings. Surely there was a way to nurture this empathic behaviour.
 
 
I believe it is through connection – true heart connection. And how do I foster this connection? I do not claim to have an original thought to explain this, but have received inspiration from authors like Robin Grille (Heart to Heart Parenting) and Pinky McKay (Toddler Tactics). It boils down to how I communicate with her. A two-fold thing: how I listen and how I speak. Listening to our children honours their right to be heard. And children listen to us to the extent that they themselves feel heard. In terms of better relations with our children, I believe it is possibly the best investment we can make.
 
Speaking with authenticity is the flip side to the connection coin. This means being real about our feelings and letting our children know that we have boundaries. Far from being permissive, connection parenting is about appropriate boundary setting, because being solid and strong makes us more respectable and helps our children feel secure.     
How refreshing it is when I reframe what my child does in terms of how they are feeling, rather than labelling their behaviour. I don’t have to feel constantly in opposition to them. All things that are considered ‘misbehaviour’ are in fact my child’s attempt to reconnect with me.  
 
When I listen to my child’s feelings and communicate with authenticity, they respond with respect and care for my feelings. Their behaviour is not motivated out of fear or shame. They are not trying to gain my approval or to escape punishment, instead they genuinely seek connection with me and others.    Far from being a trend in parenting that I have chosen from a book because it’s the latest thing, connection parenting is something that hits to the very core of my values as a human being and is true to my mother instincts.
 
And it is not only my child that is benefitting. My life has thoroughly been enriched too. Through connection, my daughter has taught me humility, to be real, and to be more compassionate. Seeking connection with her has opened my heart, and has allowed me to love more deeply than I could have ever imagined. And it has shown me that parenting can be pleasurable and can bring joy that is profoundly fulfilling and satisfying.

rainbow baths

published: October 13th, 2010 | category: Mum Guest Blogs, Rachel
In an attempt to learn some colours and liven up bath time, we have been experimenting with rainbow baths. A few drops of non toxic food colouring into the water and Voila! …. instant fun. We spend the time while the bath is running gathering anything around the house of that colour.
 
 
We start in the bathroom with the bath toys  such as the Boon bath toys you see floating in some of the pictures, and then move our way through the house. Siena loves looking through her toy box and her bedroom for the right coloured toys! She has just begun to really catch onto the concept of colour (especially pink!). I let her collect anything of that colour and then we decide whether or not they can go in the bath or if it has to stay outside and watch (like her favourite pink teddy).
 
The only real problem I have found with Rainbow baths is … remembering where I put the green salad servers or the red pasta spoon a few weeks later.

Road Testing the Plan Toys Clatter - get ready to make some noise!

published: October 11th, 2010 | category: Deborah, Mum Guest Blogs, road tests

The Clatter… sounds like a 70's punk band… but in fact it is the name of a Plan Toys' musical instrument toy.  It makes a rhythmic clattery sound as you move its handles back and forth. Its rhythm can vary from a gentle wave to a roaring rattle. Clatter, clatter, clatter…  yes, in our house it's been leaning towards the ‘roaring rattle' end of the spectrum!

My 20 month old Ashlin enjoyed the challenge of co-ordinating the toy to move from one hand to the other. She loved twisting it and inverting it to find out how it rotated.  But the most fun was the ‘click-clack' sound it made once she found a certain rhythm… because, of course, it sounded like a horse! Her favourite pastime, after all, is pretend horse-riding! Click-clack, click-clack… suddenly we were in horse-riding land every day!

The Plan Toys Clatter is beautifully crafted, as all Plan Toys are (I'm a big fan), and the vibrant rainbow colours of the wooden flaps are a winner with my daughter. As much fun as this toy is for one happy toddler, I also believe it would work exceptionally well in a group dynamic, like the music and movement class that Ashlin attends. Making noise enthusiastically in big group is such fun!

Clatter, clatter, clatter… Ashlin did find some softer rhythms too, but mostly she enjoyed a loud horsey click-clack or a thunderous crashing clatter! (Not sure that mum enjoyed the latter as much!). Check out the Plan Toys Clatter here.

Busybee Friends Peng Peng Lunch Bag Road Test

published: October 7th, 2010 | category: Emma, Mum Guest Blogs, accessories, items of interest, road tests

Where there is a nappy bag there is a black hole. No matter how many bags I buy, no matter how many handy pockets they claim to have, I - being the uncoordinated walking mess that I am - can never find anything I need without having to drop to the floor and give the bag a good rummage. The only things I really need in a hurry are Wolf's snacks and his water bottle. A poopy nappy can wait, a hungry Wolf will not.

We had also been having a baggage problem on the already complicated day care days. Josh drops Wolf off in the morning and I pick him up in the afternoon, then we have a play and a snack in the city while waiting for Josh to finish work. We each have our own nappy bags, but Josh tended to leave his upstairs at the centre, and when I arrived carrying my own full bag, I would have to take two bags and a heavy Wolf downstairs and haul them around town for an hour.

We hadn't thought of getting Wolf his own bag; it seemed too grown up a thing. Wolf's only requirements at day care are a spare change of clothes, some extra snacks and his water bottle. All of which fit in his Busybee Friends 'PengPeng' Penguin lunch bag.

It's small, lightweight and super cute; even when full it's light and comfortable enough to hang across Wolf's body or slung on my shoulder or stroller. Wolf loves anything to do with birds and is obsessed with opening and closing things. He just learnt to work a zipper, so he can open his bag, fetch a snack and close it again without too much fuss. I find the small external pocket a great place to stuff empty wrappers and fruit peelings post snack.

What I really love about this bag is that while being a cute animal-shaped kid's bag, it isn't fluffy, furry or plushy. Fully wipe-down-able and made of robust nylon and polyester, it won't get that sticky matted, battered, dirty look that some other animal bags do. In simple black and white and in a very cute design, mums and dads won't feel too silly toting their kid's bag when they get tired of carrying it themselves.

With a fully adjustable strap, the Busybee Lunch bag will last Wolf for years. And when he's old enough for a bigger bag, we can upgrade to a PengPeng trundle bag or back pack for the complete collection. Wolf already has a shoe collection to rival my own; the PengPeng lunch bag could be the begginings of Wolf's lifelong accessory obsession. It's in the genes.

Check out the Busybees friends PengPeng Penguin Lunch box here…

Texthook….love your gadgets!

published: October 4th, 2010 | category: Mum Guest Blogs, Peta, accessories, prams & strollers

Sadly, by some opinions, my iPhone really is my second baby.  It comes with me everywhere I go, I completely adore it and it even has different outfits.

I am the guru among mothers group and lesser tech savvy people, such as my mum, when it comes to getting your smart phone to be a.s.a.p (as smart as possible).

I have apps for EVERYTHING including breastfeeding and even one that logged my contractions during labour at home and emailed them to the hospital at the touch of a button!

So you can see that with this parental attachment to my technology I welcome any device that helps me help myself!

When I go for a walk with the pram it's an extended affair, usually of an hour or so.  While one hand does the steering the other deftly maneuvers the dog who is generally pulling on the lead like a crazed demon.

Like many these days we don't have a home phone so my mobile is my constant companion and when it rings mid-walk, it induces a fit of bag rummaging whilst being licked in the ear by Lulu (that's the dog, not the baby).

32d

Texthook has a great slogan "A dashboard for your mobile life" and this is exactly it's function.  It attaches to most pram or stroller handles including my odd-shaped Stokke ones.  The top slider is adjustable so I would say that most smart phones would fit easily.  It is deep enough to use without removing your phone's cover and rotates 180 degrees to be viewed from any angle.

If you like to get a lot of your phone calling done whilst on the go, either plug in your earphones or connect with a Bluetooth earpiece and get talking!

With your phone so accessible it makes texting, emailing and web browsing very simple and also lessens the amount of times you will say this during the day: "where's my phone?"

I have found it especially valuable on a trip to the shopping centre where your hands are busy with the pram for so long.  Usually my phone would be in my pocket or bag and evidence is mounting that carrying them on your body is no longer wise.

Texthook is light, durable and the quality Velcro makes it quick to attach and remove.  You can even use it on exercise equipment or the shopping trolley.

It also attaches to your bike handles which we tried for the first time on the weekend.  Best surprise of all; whilst riding over the Phillip Island bridge we spotted a dolphin and within seconds I had my phone out of the Texthook and got some great footage of this beautiful creature….instead of cursing and hurling objects out of my bag trying to find my "damn phone"!

Check out the texthook for yourself here….

Here’s one i prepared earlier

published: September 29th, 2010 | category: Jodi, Mum Guest Blogs

In my experience being pregnant with your second child is absolutely nothing like being pregnant with your first.

My complete lack of focus on baby number two is at times alarming. I'm barely keeping myself off the ‘bad mother before the baby is even born' list with the justification of an all consuming love for my 19 month old daughter.

all-consuming-love

When I was pregnant with her my whole life revolved around me. My husband got a look in but it was pretty much all about me. As such, I thought of little more than the changes that were occurring to my body, how I'd look in maternity clothes, the foods I could eat again post-pregnancy, not to mention the things I could drink - basically all the really big issues. And so from conception to birth my thoughts were internally focused.

When my little girl was born everything changed.  My whole life now revolves around her.  My husband gets a look it but it's pretty much all about her.  My thoughts are well and truly externally focused and I understand for the first time what it really means to be selfless. When I do occasionally remember my pregnancy my thoughts generally focus on how wonderful I imagine my daughter will be as a sibling.

I'm a middle child and I don't knowingly suffer from any of the afflictions associated with this birth order, but I'm starting to understand why they exist.  What I'm less able to understand is the angst that is coupled with being a firstborn.

If only firstborns could remember the undivided attention that was lavished on them before the arrival of their siblings - it's something that is theirs and theirs alone and it's literally impossible for parents to provide this for any other child.

With all that love and devotion, how could the firstborn ever be unhappy (says the wishfully thinking parent). No doubt I'll find out sooner than I'd rather.

Fortunately I remember vividly a wonderful realisation following the birth of my daughter that our capacity to love is absolutely limitless - that I didn't have to borrow love from someone else to give to her, I had more than enough to go around.

It is this knowledge that gives me a quiet confidence that my baby will be just as loved, adored and smothered once they actually arrive. I'm also quietly relieved that they will not remember anything about their in-utero relationship with their somewhat distracted mama.

Be proud of your baby making body!

published: September 27th, 2010 | category: Karen, Mum Guest Blogs, road tests

There comes a moment in the life of every new mother that  we dream of from the time our babes are placed in our arms.  First smile? First time he says "mama"? Er, no.  It's that wondrous morning when you reach into the depths of your wardrobe, hopefully remove your pre-pregnancy jeans, put them on and, chanting silently, "Please do up, please do up!", pull up the zip, close the button and, voila! They fit! Thanks to breastfeeding, I had that moment within weeks of Alex's birth, but, as time moves forward, the liposuction effects of breastfeeding are waning, though my ravenous appetite remains and  it's beginning to show.  My jeans are struggling to keep up.  In fact, I think that's them I hear groaning under the strain as I sit here typing .

It has to be said that I actually quite like this new body having a child has bestowed upon me.  I feel more feminine, dare I say, ‘sensual', than I ever have and I like the softness that comes from providing nourishment to my son and a comfy place for him to snuggle.  In fact, it's the giant rack I've developed since breastfeeding that provides a lovely distraction to my bulging love handles, and gives the illusion that my stomach is flatter than it is.   I can, however, do without the daily disappointment of discovering yet another pair of pants that won't do up, or another top that threatens to rip at the seams with every movement. Given I used to run a lingerie store, I have a hidden stash of what can only be described as ridiculously giant knickers. From high waisted briefs to styles that amount to sheer torture, I feel I am destined to a life of pulling my knickers up to my armpits every morning to squish my mummy tummy into obedience, and hearing my husband quip, (Hugh Grant style) "Hello Mummy" every time I disrobe,  Something must be done.

As Alex approaches his first birthday, I think my argument, "But I just had a baby!" is beginning to lose it's clout.  So, as a pig flew by my window, I joined a group called "Fit Mums", who's motto is "We're proud of your baby making body!".   My goal is not to become super skinny.  I never was, never will be.  But I owe it to myself to get fit and healthy so I can enjoy my busy life as a mama and set a good example for Alex, not just to pull on my skinny jeans.  I want to be running around the play ground with him, not sitting on a park bench watching from a distance.  It's not like I have to sashay down a Parisian Catwalk anytime soon, so the only pressure I feel, is from myself.  It's about getting back to where I feel comfortable. If it takes our bodies 9 months to go through the enormous changes having a baby requires,  it's only fair to give yourself that same amount of time to let it relax and recover.  After that, if you feel ready, it's worth looking for an exercise group designed specifically for mothers.   Then you not only get the exercise and encouragement you need, it's a great social occasion too. Assuming I don't have a coronary,  here's hoping the exercise endorphins kick in and I'll soon be  fitter, healthier and  able to actually bend at the waist when wearing my jeans!  Watch this space!

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